Inverness looking for the double

Inverness make the arduous trip to the East end this weekend to face Ronny Deila's resurgent side in a game that could see Celtic hit the top spot if results go their way.

Inverness had a free midweek as Celtic rampaged into the semi-finals of the League Cup with a 6-0 win over ten man Partick Thistle to join the Rangers, Aberdeen and Dundee United in the hat for the draw. John Guidetti scored a hat-trick against the hapless Jags. I wonder if the Glasgow clubs will get the mandatory safe passage into the finals or will we break from tradition and get an Old Firm derby semi? Mickey Mouse cup anyway this season.

Last week saw Inverness overcome Dundee United with a Marley Watkins goal settling the game. United had started the brightest but before the end, Inverness were well on top and the only gripe is that they should have made more of the opportunities that came their way. However, three points off the Arabs will do and that result moved us level on points with the Accies at the head of the table, the first quarter of the season already over.

Celtic limbered up with a comfortable 2-0 win over Killie last Sunday, and they also had a player sent off. It was an emphatic win with Killie doing well to minimise the damage after the sending off of their captain, Manuel Pascali ten minutes before the break.

Celtic are the top scorers in the league with 22 goals compared to our 15. There's little between the defences though, Celtic conceding 1 less than us having played one game less. Celtic's goals for has been boosted by two games in particular. A 6-1 thrashing of Dundee United and a 5-0 pumping of Ross County. We have failed to score more than two in any league game so far, although we did come out on top when the sides met at Inverness in August, courtesy of an own goal. That day, Celtic were off the back of Euro football and a much changed squad faced Inverness. I doubt we will be afforded the same opponents this time as Celtic look to climb the table.

Inverness are as near full strength as they can be. Ryan Christie is clear of suspension and Ross Draper kept a clean sheet last week so he is still available. Richie Foran is the only skiver with his long term injury. Ibra Sekajja never made it onto the park against United but could be an option given the lean spell for Billy McKay at the moment. James Vincent filled the gap well last week with an industrious performance in central midfield and looks a good bet to continue.

Celtic gave Leigh Griffiths some air time in the League Cup and he scored a couple after coming on as a second half substitute. Kris Commons is close to a return but James Forrest and Derk Boerrigter remain out. Aleksandar Tonev is unavailable for Celtic as the club's appeal against his alleged racism remark has not been lodged on time.

tm4tj Prediction:- The humiliating defeat handed out to Partick in midweek has made our task all the more difficult and nobody will be expecting anything other than a cakewalk for Celtic. It's difficult to see past a home win as the Bhoys go on a scoring spree. They dished out big licks to us last season scoring eleven in two months without reply at Parkhead. That was a far cry from the encouraging 2-2 draw we started last season with. So maybe it's not all doom and gloom as results can be achieved at Parkhead, but pay them too much respect and they will be all over you like a rash. I'm going for a cheeky point in the hope that our defence concentrates for the whole game and blunts Celtic's sharp attack. We haven't scored three at Parkhead since Feb8th 2000 and it seems unlikely that we will this week given the disparity in the squads. But then again, there was plenty of distance between the sides then.

The Caley Jags were not the only winners last weekend. Shoot for the boot dished out £300